Thoughts on Counterterrorism and Financial Fraud issues by Juval Aviv

Homegrown Terrorist

Recently a North Carolina native, Daniel Boyd of Willow Spring, was arrested along with six other men, including his two young sons on charges that they were plotting attacks on foreign soil. According to the FBI, Mr. Boyd, who converted to Islam as a young man, spent time in Pakistan battling Soviet troops two decades ago and was angered over the presence of U.S. troops near Muslim holy sites. He and his small group were planning trips to the Middle East to wage violent jihad, and had apparently already made several such trips to Jordan, Kosovo, Pakistan and Israel. While some of his neighbors expressed shock over his arrest and worry that the authorities are rushing to judgment, over 27,000 rounds of ammunition were found on Mr. Boyd’s property and he can be heard on recordings expressing his love for jihad. Whatever the outcome of Mr. Boyd’s trial; this story is yet another example of the dangers that we face from homegrown terrorists. According to some sources, there are nearly 1,000 active hate groups operating in the U.S. These groups span the religious and political spectrums and have a wide range of goals. They also have the ability to reach a wide audience of people who share their beliefs over the internet. While an attack from foreign terrorists remains a danger, an attack from homegrown terrorists is far more likely and much harder to guard against, given the range of people and their lack of organization or common goals. It is extremely important for law enforcement officers on a local level, in small cities and towns, be given proper counterterrorism training because it may very well be that the next big attack originates from such a place instead of the large urban centers that most people expect.